Aeroplane



Patented J 211L123, 1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET l- E. B. JAEGER AND E. H. HELLER. AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 9.1918. 1,327,869.

E. B. .IAEGER AND E. H. HELLER.

AEROPLANE. I APPLICATION FILED 1AN. 9. 191a.

Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. B. JAEGER AND E. H. HELLER.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 9.1918.

1,327,869. I Patented Jan. 13,1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

a J r E. B. JAEGER AND E. vH. HELLER.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 9. I918.

1,327,s69,- Patented J an.13,1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD BERNARD JAEGER AND EUGENE H. HELLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

ASSIGNORS TO THE HILL PUMP VALVE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A

CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

AERQPLAN E.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

'Application filed January 9, 1918. Serial No. 211,093.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known .that we, EDwARo BERNARD JAEGER and EUGENE H. HELLER, citizens of the United States, both residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to motor vehicles, such as aeroplanes and more particularly to a heating system provided therefor.

The principle of the invention is predicated on the arrangement of a heating system wherein the various parts of the control gear constitute heating devices.

The varlous movements of aeroplanes in the vertical and horizontal planes are their surfaces and projecting from each side.

By moving them so as to oppose a portion of their surface to the windor air, the pilot is able to guide the machine. This movement .is accomplished by levers. Either hand or foot control canbe used. The for- -mer is generally reserved for warping the surfaces or for operating the ailerons upon which'the lateral stability depends and for raising or lowering the machine 'by means of the elevator. The foot control preferably serves for steering the machine.

The principal object of the invention consists in employing the various controls mentioned and other stationary devices in proximity to the pilotas heating elements toenhance the comfort of the pilot or observer in the aeroplane when moving in high altitudes where low temperature prevails.

It is a further object of the invention to provide the control gear in the form of hollow bodies amenable to internal heating.

A further object of the invention consists in employing the spent gases of the com bustion engine to serve as a heating medium in raising the temperature of the various heatlng devices.

A further object of the invention consists in conducting the exhaust gases of thecomprovide a. wheel control, the wheel being formed with a hollow rim and several of the spokes serving as conductors to effect in ess and egress of the exhaust gases.

till afurther objectaims at the provision of levers with a partition arranged interiorly to form a plurality ofcompartments for the passage 'of the exhaust gases.

It is also an object of the inventionv to provide means for regulating the'passage of the gases through the controlling devices.

A further object of the invention embraces certain features of construction and arrangement which tend to enhance the usefulness of such vehicles and to a great extent facili- 'tate operation of the control system of the aeroplane when flying at high altitudes Where a low temperature prevails or when flying in cold. weather.

-To the accomplishment of the foregoing objects and others that will become apparent upon perusal of the specification, the preferred embodiment of the invention, which, however, ismerely indicative of the ciple, is illustrated in the annexed drawings, in which o Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through an aeroplane to which the invention has been applied, v

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through an aer lane provided with a modification of the invention,

'Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of a controlling lever,

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the lower portion of the lever,

Fig. 6 is a section on l ne 6(i of Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is ahorizontal section through a foot lever,

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the lever shown inFig. 7,

- Fig. 9 is a side elevation of said. love with parts shown in section,

7 ling valve,

Figs. 14: and 15 are respectively longitudinal and transverse sections of the control wheel employed in the aeroplane.

Referring to the several views in the dra ings, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the aeroplane comprises a body 1 which is of any convenient or suitable construction and is merely shown conventionally, the same as the wings or planes 2 and 3, arranged respectively above and below the body 1 and secured thereto in any approved or convenient manner. The aeroplane is driven by a propeller 4; arranged atthe front of the machine and mounted on the shaft 5 of a combustion motor generally designated by 6.

The motor is of the so-called V type, that is, the crank case and the cylinders are arranged to form a V. As indicated in the drawings an eight cylinder motor is employed and the cylinders of one row exhaust into a manifold 7 Which has branch connections 8 to the appertaining cylinders. The exhaust manifold 9 provided for the otherrow of cylinders has branch connections 10 with the cylinders. As indicated in Fig. 1 each manifold exhausts into the air through an elbow 11 which is of a size and form to eliminate back pressure on the mo tor and thus assures efficient operation of the same. 7 The construction of the motor and the arrangement of the general parts of the aeroplane are of ancillary importance asfar as the invention is concerned, and for this reason the brief reference to these parts is considered ample.

The exhaust elbow 11 is formed integral with or if preferred has secured thereto an extension 12 for the reception of the flexible tube 13, whereby a portion of the exhaust gases is delivered to a series of heating units provided in the aeroplane which will be described in detail hereinafter. The flexible tube 13 is secured to the casing 14 of a control valve and connected to a foot lever generally designated by '15. The exhaust gases pass through the foot lever 15'and are conducted by a flexible tube 16 to the control wheel 17 which is equipped with a cable sheave 18., whereby the surfaces of the planes may be deflected for the purpose of maintaining the balance of the flying machine.

The control wheel 17 has connected to its opposlua. side a flexible tube 19 whereby the exhaust gases conducted through the control wheel are carried out and as shown the flexi- The seat is constructed hollow for the purpose of'aii'ording a chamber receiving the exhaust whereby the seat of the parts for the'purpose of enabling the ob-'- server usually accompanying the pilot to effeet the manipulation of the surfaces of the machine when for any reason whatever the pilot becomes disabled.-

To this end the exhaust elbow 23 of the exhaust manifold 9 is also equipped With an extension 2% to which a flexible pipe 25 is secured which leads to the control valve 26 secured to the foot lever 27 with which the valve is in communication. The exhaust gases in this case also pass through the control valve and through predetermined channels in the foot lever 27 and pass oult of the same at the rear side thereof and into a flexible pipe 28 secured thereto which leads to a control wheel 29 equipped with a sheave 30. A flexible pipe 31 secured to the front side of the Wheel hub connects the latter with a seat 32 of hollow construction and also provided at its upper end with a pipe 33 which establishes communication between the hollow seat and the atmosphere.

From the foregoing it is evident that the exhaust gases of the combustion motor are conducted through a series of controlling elements which have to be manipulated by the pilot or observer and which also act asv radiators to distribute the heat imparted thereto by the gases. The temperature prevailing in the body of the flying machine will be raised to a degree to render the presence of the pilot. and observer comfortable even in zones where low temperaturespre- Vail.

The control valve generally designated by 14 comprises a tubular casing 3d provided at one end with a plurality of lugs 35 spaced around the circumference of the casing 120 apart from each other and provided with:

openings 36 for the passage of bolts whereby the valve is secured to similar lugs 64 of the foot control lever 15. A spindle 37 transversely arranged with respect to the axis of the casing extends through the same in an oblique direction. The casing 34 is formed with a projecting pocket 38 at one side to receive one end of the spindle and at the diametrically opposed side a tubular extension 39 is formed integral with the casing affording a bearing for the other end of the spindle, which carries a butterfly valve 40 rigidly secured thereto whereby the passage through the casing may be controlled in accordance with the position of the valve.

The tubular extension 39 is internally threaded for a portion of its length to re ceive an element 41 in threaded engagement which bears against a packing 43 held in place by a short sleeve 42. At its other end the extension 39 is provided with a circular flange 44 cut away at 45 to limit the oscillatory movement of the valve spindle 37. To the spindle 37 an arm 46 is secured by a washer 47 and a lock nut 48 threaded on the spindle. The arm 46 has a. handle 49 at its outer extremity and is formed with a lug 50 at its inner side arranged in registry with the cut away portion 45 of the flange 44 and adapted to engage the walls thereof.

From the foregoing it is obvious that the arm 46 may be moved to contact with one or the other wall of the cut away portion 45 of flange 44 and accordingly the'butterfly valve 40 is opened or closed thereby controlling the passage of the exhaust gases through the casing 34 and into the foot lever 15.

The foot lever 15 particularly indicated in Figs. 7 to 10 comprises a body portion 51 substantially ofrectangular cross section which decreases from the center toward the extremities. At each end the lever is provided with a slantingly directed chest. or casing 52 of a contour to conform to the toe portion of a shoe. The upper and lower walls of the casing are'maintained at the same distance from one another throughout the dimensions of the lever 15. The upper side of the casing 52 is equipped with a plate 53 of sheet metal or other suitable material or metal bent to form a pocket to receive the front portion of a shoe. -At a distance from the upper wall of thecasing a foraminous plate 54 is provided secured in any approved or convenient manner to the casing or plate 53 whereby direct contact between the shoe and the casing is avoided and in addition ventilation of the pocketis a"sured. As indicated in the drawings a pocket is provided at each end of the lever which is supported to be oscillated in'a horizo-ntal plane, the movements of the-lever being effected by means of the feet of the flyer. A partition 55'extends throughout the entire lever and centrally thereof to divide the same into two compartments 57. 58, which are entirely separate'except at the upper end of the casings 52,- where the partition 55 stops short of the wall portion 56. The exhaust gases entering from the Valve 14 will thus divide and flow toward both extremities of the foot lever 15, in the compartment 57, thence between partition 55 and wall portion 56 into compartment 58. The two currents will meet at the egress end 59 of the foot lever and flow through the pipe 16 into the succeeding control ele ment. The lever 15 as indicated in Fig. 7

has at its extremities apertured lugs 60 for attachment of cables leading to the surfaces secured thereto, a downwardly extending sleeve 61 received within a standard 62 secared to the floor. A bolt 63 extends through the sleeve and holds the latter to the standard thus acting as a pivot pin in the oscillatory movements of the lever. The construction of this standard and the various details of the lever are unimportant as far as the general objects of the invention are concerned, and for this reason no further description of these parts is given, it being sufiicient to point out that the passage of the gases remains undisturbed during the movement of the lever except as for such restrictions imposed thereon by the adjustment of the valve 14. The foot lever as mentioned before is equipped with apertured lugs 64 at its ingressside to which the lugs 35 of the valve 14 are secured.

The control wheel 17 comprises a hollow rim. 65 and a hub 66 interconnected with the rim by four spokes 67. As indicated in Figs. 14 and 15 two diametrically opposed spokes 67 are hollow and in communication with the rim. -At the inner end the spokes are extended into the hub and terminate at stationary rings 68 and 69 respectively providing for the ingress and egress of the exhaust gases. From the drawing it is apparent that the gases leaving the pipe 16 pass through the communieating spoke 67 into the hollow rim 65 where they divide and. flow toward the other holinterior com )artments 72 7 3. throu h which the gases pass. The base 74 of the lever comprises a tubular casing 75, provided with a rearwardly projecting extension 76 for the reception of the flexible pipe 19 leading to the hollow seat 20. The base is formed at opposite sides with depending flanges 77. 7 8, which are apertured to receive a pivot pin 79. The flange 78 terminates in lateral flanges 80 apertured to receive pivot pins 8.1. As indicated in Fig. 6, a bearing 82 receives the pivot pins in slotted supports, so that the lever may be swung about the pins 81 in longitudinal direction with respect to 'the body of the aeroplane and in transverse direction about pin 79. A bottom plate 83 closes the lower end of compartments 72, 7 3.

To the front side of the base a control valve 84- is secured, the casing of which forms a T and communicates with the compartment 72 of the .lever 70. A butterfly valve 85 is secured .to a spindle 86 extendinv through the casing and provided exteriorIy with a handle '87 and a link 88 articulated with a connecting bar 89, which is pivotally connected with an arm 90 secured to a spindle 91 carrying a butterflyvalve 92 and controlling the leg 94 of the casing 84. As will be obvious, the valves and links are so arranged that in the open position of valve 85 A for, a plurality of hollow levers, means for 92 is closed and vice versa.

the valve to the leg 94, leads fiexible'pipe 93, secured to a Y fitting 95 inserted in the flexible pipe 19 leading to .the hollow seat. From the foregoing it is obvious that upon manipulation of handle 87 the valve 85 may be opened, whereby the gases flow in the direction indicated by the arrows in 6, or the valve 85 may be closed and the valve 92 opened, so that the gases flow through the by-pass 93, whereby the lever is disconnected from the heating system. In other respects this modification is similar to the one reviously idescribed and like parts are provided with like reference numerals.

The drawings indicate the employmentof the exhaust gases for heating the controlling elements and. the seat. Other appliances in the proximity of the pilot or observer, such as the map board and the like, can also be constructed to be amenable to internal heating.

It is our intention not to confine ourselves to the specific disclosures madein the application as to the kinds of elements heated and the mode of interconnecting the elements.

It is also within the scope of the invention to employ a source of the exhaust gases of the engine. Either an external or an internal source of heat may be used for heating the various controls of the machine or other devices in proximity to the operators.

heat other than menace Thus heat may be generated within the various elements by ,means of charcoal or other material, or hot gases may be conducted through the various devices which gases are obtained from any source other than the exhaust of the engine.

We therefore do not intend to limit ourselves to a particular heating medium, nor

to movable controllin means, but we claim our invention as broa ly as the state of the art ermits.

W e claim:

1. In an aeroplane, in combination with the combustion motor and the exhaust thereconducting the exhaust gases through said levers, and a by-pass for disconnecting one of said levers from said conducting means.

2. In an aeroplane, in combination with a combustion engine and the exhaust therefor, a plurality of levers, means for conduct ing the exhaust gases through said levers, means for simultaneously controlling the passage of the exhaust gases through all of said levers, and means for independently controlling the passage through one of said levers. I i 3. In an aeroplane, in combination with the motor and the exhaust therefor, a plurality of hollow levers, means for conducting the exhaust gases through said levers, and means for controlling the passage of exhaust gases through one lever independently of the other levers.

- EDWARD BERNARD JAE-GER.

EUGENE H. HELLER.- 

